Head feather loss, crusty skin, limping - what's going on?

[aliseie]

Hi everyone!

I've got a large flock of free-range hens. They're pretty darn healthy, but I do have a hen who is not doing too well. I noticed the feather loss quite a while ago, but thought she was just molting.

She's about 2, and a golden sexlink. Diet is a good whole-grain layer mix from our local feed mill, and whatever they find running around the pasture and barnyard.

Here's what I've noticed:
watery poop
limping, but no visible injury (does have some scaly leg mites that I'll treat)
feather loss on head, and now the skin looks crusty
wing feathers look...icky...

I've given her some poultry vitamins in her water, and now her poop is normal. She's alert and is eating and drinking well and preening herself.

What do you think? Thanks for any thoughts!

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Do you have any roosters? Looks like over-mating to me.

 

[aliseie]

Hmm, it doesn't fee like that. I only have one middle-aged rooster for my 40+ hens, and he's pretty easy with them. I haven't noticed him going after her all the time, but maybe?

 

[Kathy Golla]

Rooster was my first thought too, as all of the things you show in your pics could be caused by overmating. Even the tops of her shoulders.
I would watch her interactions with the rooster... it could have happened previously but the feathers won’t grow back until full molt.

If you really think it’s not the rooster, she could have a few other things going on.
I’d start with a really good round of all around treatment for lice and mites.
Then if that doesn’t clear things up I would treat her head for scaly face mites.
Then if that wasn’t it I would treat for favus.
I’m guessing if the wing feather depluming is not being caused by a rooster she may have depluming mites.
Make sure you treat your coop too and repeat the treatment for all once a week for a few weeks.
Scaly leg mites could cause limping, it makes the feet painful.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would look her over for lice. The picture resembles a chicken with lice eggs or a fungal skin condition called favus. Favus causes chaulky white skin, and it can spread over the face and head to the neck. Miconazole (monistat) or clotrimazole (lotrimin) applied daily can be used to treat favus. Lice can be treated with permethrin dust or spray from the feed store.

 

[micstrachan]

My very first thought upon viewing her head was favus, and then I read others mention it, too. I don’t really think there’s any harm in treating for that. Can you part her feathers and see if she has more crusty looking skin?

 

[aliseie]

Ok, I'm betting you all are right about the overmating. She may have been easy pickins because of her leg not feeling good. I looked her over carefully, and it doesn't look like she's got any problems with lice or mites, and she doesn't have icky skin anywhere else. She does have a ton of new feathers growing, so she may just be taking forever to finish molting. She's just looked so terrible for so long! At least now she's had a nice vacation in the warm house all by herself!

Thanks everyone!